Open Orphan subsidiary hVIVO has been hired to make H1N1 influenza virus for a Phase IIa study of a developmental antiviral drug.
The UK-based contract research organization (CRO) announced the £10.4 million ($12.1 million) contract this month, sharing few details other than to say that the “top 5 global pharmaceutical client” for which it is making the virus is an existing customer and that this is the third human challenge contract signed with the company.
According to hVIVO, virus manufacture has already started and is expected to be completed in the second quarter next year.
Open Orphan (LON:ORPH) was founded in 2017, with the goal of rapidly building Europe’s leading pharma services company by a management team with extensive industry and financial expertise. The company comprises of two commercial specialist CRO services businesses (Venn Life Sciences and hVIVO) and is also developing a genomics data platform business (Genomic Health Data).